Manhattan Campus History

Manhattan - Murray Street

The College of Insurance was originally founded in 1901 as the Insurance Society of New York. It was known as the “school without a classroom” due to the college using borrowed spaces around New York City, except for the renowned insurance library housed on William Street in lower Manhattan. The College of Insurance finally had a permanent home when a building was constructed at 101 Murray Street in Manhattan in 1984.

A student walking through the entrance of the Insurance Society of New York on William Street

Aerial view of the College of Insurance at 101 Murray Street under construction

On November 15, 2000, a merger between St. John's University and the College of Insurance was announced. In May 2001, St. John’s University acquired the 10-story building on Murray Street, which would house the insurance library, classrooms, a cafeteria, and residences for the students on the upper floors.

Manhattan Campus Dedication 2001 audience seated in the lobby of 101 Murray Street with a St. John's University banner above the stairs — Manhattan Campus Dedication Ceremony, in the lobby of 101 Murray Street, on June 14, 2001.

Clear glass apple shaped paper weight engraved with St. John's University Manhattan Campus Dedication Ceremony, June 14, 2001. — These glass apple-shaped paperweights engraved with "St. John's University Manhattan Campus Dedication Ceremony, June 14, 2001" were distributed at the ceremony. This artifact is now preserved in the St. John's University Archives.

The former Manhattan campus at 101 Murray Street

The World Trade Center attack on September 11, 2001 forced the new Manhattan campus to close just days after the semester began. The students in the School of Risk Management, Insurance, and Actuarial Science program were relocated to the Queens and Staten Island campuses. The Murray Street building served as an American Red Cross facility through December 1, 2001, and reopened to students on January 17, 2002.

Emergency response workers standing in the lobby of 101 Murray Street, with a banner that reads American Red Cross Respite Center — Emergency response workers in the lobby of 101 Murray Street when the campus served as an American Red Cross Respite Center.

The Manhattan campus was temporarily closed once again due to flooding from Hurricane Sandy on October 29, 2012, reopening in January 2013.

Manhattan - Astor Place

Later in 2013, the sale of 101 Murray Street and the lease of new campus facilities at 101 Astor Place in Manhattan was announced. The new Manhattan Campus Dedication and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony was held on October 9, 2014.